Games are supposed to be fun. And not just for a few hours, but as long as possible. After all, no one wants to see the end credits after a weekend. But some developers take it to the extreme.

While some games are over after 15 to 20 hours, others can keep you busy for months. Huge open worlds, countless side quests, hundreds of collectibles and gigantic role-playing systems ensure that the playing time quickly reaches three-digit values.

For this list we have current data from HowLongToBeat as well as the experiences of the community are taken into account. The following games are among the most extensive titles ever – and you probably haven’t finished them all yet.

The Sims 4

The Sims 4 is one of the few games where playing time is hardly measurable. Instead of a fixed story, you decide how your Sims’ lives go.

With numerous expansions, careers, building projects and generations of Sims, several hundred or even thousands of hours can easily accumulate. Many fans have been playing the series regularly for years. Meanwhile, EA is already working on the future of the series. The next big Sims offshoot will probably be created under the code name Project Rene.

Playing time:

• Virtually unlimited

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Square Enix didn’t just remake the world of Final Fantasy VII, but massively expanded it. Between mini-games, side quests, secrets and optional challenges, time flies. Completionists in particular can easily invest several hundred hours.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 50-70 hours
• Complete: up to 160 hours

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

There have been many realistic medieval adventures. But Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 takes the scope to a new level.

The main story alone will keep you busy for dozens of hours. If you want to complete every side quest, explore all regions and try out the numerous activities, you will quickly spend well over 150 hours in Bohemia.

The role-playing game rewards patience and the urge to explore like no other current game.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 70 hours
• Complete: over 150 hours

Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 was already huge. The Royal version goes one step further.

The mix of role-playing, everyday simulation and dungeon crawler ensures that even the main story is significantly longer than many other complete games. If you want to expand all your social contacts and experience all the content, you should have a lot of free time.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 100 hours
• Complete: up to 140 hours

GTA 5

The playing time of GTA 5 doesn’t seem spectacular at first glance. The main story is completed much quicker than many RPGs on this list.

But hardly any game manages to keep players coming back for years. In addition to the huge open world, GTA Online in particular ensures that many fans spend well over 1,000 hours in Los Santos.

Meanwhile, the community’s attention has long been focused on GTA 6. The successor will be released on November 19, 2026.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 32 hours
• Complete: approx. 90 hours
• With GTA Online: practically unlimited

Fallout 4 – Game of the Year Edition

The main story of Fallout 4 is only a small part of the adventure. Anyone who explores all regions, expands settlements and completes the DLCs will easily spend several hundred hours in the wasteland.

So it’s no wonder that many players are already hoping for Fallout 5. Officially, Bethesda is still keeping a low profile, but new rumors keep cropping up about the next end-time RPG.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 30 hours
• Completely including DLCs: over 200 hours

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had a rocky start, but developed into one of the most comprehensive role-playing games in recent years. The main story alone will take you many hours. However, if you want to discover all of Night City’s side missions, orders and secrets, you will spend significantly longer in the futuristic metropolis.

With the Phantom Liberty expansion, the scope grows noticeably again. And while fans continue to roam Night City, CD Projekt is already working on the sequel.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 30 hours
• Complete: 130 hours

Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 not only tells one of the best stories in gaming history, but also offers one of the most believable open worlds ever.

Between hunting trips, raids, side missions and countless random events, you quickly lose sight of the actual goal. Many players spend hundreds of hours in the Wild West before they even see the end credits.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 50 hours
• Complete: 190 hours

The Witcher 3 – Complete Edition

Even more than ten years after its release, The Witcher 3 remains a prime example of massive scope.

The main story about Geralt of Rivia offers more content than many other role-playing games overall. With the expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, the adventure grows into a truly mammoth project.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 50 hours
• Complete: over 180 hours

Skyrim Anniversary Edition

Hardly any other game distracts you from the main quest as reliably as Skyrim. Actually you just wanted to follow a marker on the map. Hours later you suddenly find yourself in a thieves’ guild, fighting dragons or clearing out ancient ruins.

Even more than a decade after its release, Skyrim remains one of the biggest time wasters in gaming history. And while many fans are still roaming Skyrim, others are already eagerly awaiting The Elder Scrolls 6. Numerous rumors and speculations have been circulating about Bethesda’s next role-playing game for years.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 35 hours
• Complete: over 220 hours

Elden Ring

With Elden Ring, FromSoftware has moved the well-known Souls formula into a huge open world – and thus celebrated one of the greatest successes in recent years.

The game world is full of secrets, hidden bosses and optional areas. If you really want to discover everything, you should be prepared for a very long journey. With the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, the scope grows again significantly.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 60 hours
• Complete: 135 hours and more

Baldur’s Gate 3

Larian Studios has created a modern role-playing game milestone with Baldur’s Gate 3.

Every decision can have an impact on what happens next. This means that many passages differ significantly from one another. Even after more than 100 hours, many players are still discovering new content. Hardly any other game offers more replay value.

Playing time:

• Main story: approx. 75-100 hours
• Complete: 200 hours

In addition to speculation about Baldur’s Gate 4, the brand is even expected to grow outside of the gaming world in the future. According to reports, Craig Mazin, who is already responsible for the acclaimed The Last of Us series, is working on an adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons universe.

World of Warcraft

When it comes to extreme gaming times, there is hardly any way around World of Warcraft.

Blizzard and the community have been continually expanding the MMORPG for over 20 years. New areas, dungeons, raids and expansions ensure that there is no real end in sight. Many players have spent several thousand hours in Azeroth – and still continue to play.

Playing time:

• Several thousand hours
• There is no real ending

Minecraft

Minecraft does have an ending, but most players are only marginally interested in it.

Instead, gigantic buildings, their own cities or complete fantasy worlds are created. Minutes turn into hours, hours turn into days and suddenly you’re wondering where the weekend went. A fixed playing time can therefore hardly be determined.